The present invention relates to a couch system for an X-ray diagnosis and, more particularly, to a patient couch for an X-ray diagnosis having a tiltable table top.
An X-ray diagnosis system generally comprises a couch on which a patient lies to be subjected to the X-ray diagnosis, an X-ray irradiation unit and an image receiving unit through which the X-ray transmitting the patient is imaged to thereby obtain an X-ray perspective image of a desired portion of the patient, preferably, on a display unit.
FIG. 11 represents examples of conventional various couches for the X-ray diagnosis, in which FIG. 11A shows a couch called a bookie-table and FIG. 11B shows a couch called a stretcher having a liftable table top 101. However, when the X-ray diagnosis is carried out, since it is necessary to move a portion of a patient to be subjected to the X-ray diagnosis to a predetermined position by constructing the couch to be vertically and horizontally movable with respect to the X-ray irradiation unit or image receiving unit. Thus, these couches of FIGS. 11A and 11B are not suitable for such X-ray diagnosis.
FIG. 11C shows a couch so-called an operation table and FIG. 11D shows a couch called a catheter table, both in which table tops 102 and 103 are liftable vertically and movable horizontally. However, when a fluoroscopic image of a celom such as stomach or intestine is required, it is necessary to tilt a patient to a predetermined angle position with respect to the horizontal level to distribute a contrast medium in the celom in a desired range in an organ. However, this requirement cannot be sufficiently satisfied by the couches of the types or structures shown in FIGS. 11A to 11D.
Furthermore, FIG. 11E shows a couch for an X-ray diagnosis having a structure in which the table top 105 is tiltable and horizontally movable to allow a patient to be tilted. The couch of this type incorporates an image receiving unit 104, which is also tiltable in accordance with the tilting motion of the table top 105. However, as can be seen from the structure of FIG. 11E, in the conventional imaging receiving unit incorporating couch, it is difficult to move, below the table top 105, another image receiving apparatus other than the incorporated image receiving unit 104 in a longitudinal direction of the table top 105 because of the location of the image receiving unit 104 below the table top, thus being inconvenient. Furthermore, a table top tilting mechanism 106 occupying a relatively large space is disposed on a side of the table top 105, which obstructs the access of a patient or an operator to the table top 105 and the arrangement of other measuring or additional equipments near the table top 105, thus being also inconvenient. Still furthermore, since it is impossible to vertically elevate the table top 105, it is inconvenient for a patient to get on and off the table top 105.